Recap: The human soul was created in the image of God, it’s the only thing in all creation made in God’s image.
“The soul is the only part of humans made in the image of God; the soul is the human. All the attributes and qualities, such as intellect, spirit body and material body, appetites and passions, are merely appendages or means of manifestation given to that soul, to be its companions while passing through its existence on earth; and also qualifiedly, while living in eternity. I mean that some of these appendages will accompany the soul in its existence in the spirit world, whether that existence be for all eternity or not.
“But this soul, great and wonderful as it is, was created in the mere image and likeness of God, and not of His substance or essence, the divine of the universe. It – the soul – may cease to exist without any part of the divine nature or substance of the Father being lessened or any way affected. And hence when people teach or believe that humans, or the soul of a human, is divine, or has any of the qualities of the divine, such teachings and beliefs are erroneous. While the soul of a person is of the highest order of creation, and their attributes and qualities correspond, yet they are no more divine in essential constituents than are the lower objects of creation – they each being a creation and not an emanation of their Creator.
“It is true that the soul of humans is of a higher order of creation than any other created thing, and is the only creature made in the image of God; and were made perfect humans; yet they (souls) can never become anything different or greater than the perfect humans unless they receive and possesss this divine essence of the Father which they did not possess at their creation.
“These human souls were created, and this creation of souls took place long before the appearance of humans on earth as mortals. The soul, prior to such appearance, had its existence in the spirit world as a substantial conscious entity, although without visible form, or individuality, yet having disctinct personality, so that it was distinct from every other soul. It’s existence and presence could be sensed by every other soul that came into contact with it, even though to the spirit vision it was not visible.
To be continued…